The ruins of the Ogrodzieniec Castle in Podzamcze - Station 08 – Baszta skazańców i Beluard (The tower of convicts and the boulevard)

Description

The last parts of the castle, which we are going to tell about, are Baszta Skazańców and the Boulevard.

Baszta Skazańców (photo 07.08.001) served as a prison. Originally it had neither doors nor windows, and the prisoners were drained into it by a long rope. Adjacent to the tower there was the great hall. After the expansion of the castle, the tower was rebuilt. Today, above the later metal door, you can easily notice remains of the ceilings (photo 07.08.002). Above, you can see a door opening, today – unfortunately - already leading to nowhere (photo 07.08.003). Under the ceremonial hall there was the armoury.

In the ruins of the castle survived not only traces of the history of Polish civilization, but also the natural events of Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska. In particular enchanting ammonites cast in stones and rocks (photo 07.08.004).

Right next to the tower there is a boulevard, that is a bastion of defence. It was built in the 2nd half of 16th century by Mikołaj Ligęza. Thanks to him a vulnerable place to the attack of the enemy troops was removed. The boulevards once had a triangular shape. This form was characteristic of fortifications from the 16th century. Also in this case there were plenty of loopholes (photo 07.08.005-07.08.007).

Since its construction, no other main changes took place in the castle. The only one occurred almost 100 years later, in the mid-17th century, when Andrzej Firlej built above the stronghold a marble hall, full of Baroque ornamentation. Today, however, of the Boulevard remains only remnants of the walls (photo 07.08.008).

The last room we want to draw your attention on is the treasure house (photo 07.08.009). You can see it by looking north from Baszta Skazańców.

Ogrodzieniec Castle arise admiration of tourists since years. In 1906, it was depicted on a badge of the Polskie Towarzystwo Krajoznawcze (Polish Tourist Association) - the first organization dedicated to tourism in Polish occupied territories. We hope that the castle in Podzamcze pleased you and you had a nice time with us.

Now we invite you to get acquainted with other attractions of this city.